Explanations
by Chris Atola
Summary: What did Dumbledore mean in Dimensions, when he commented on having met the Oracle when he was younger? DEAD FIC
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing.  
  
Author's note: I suppose some people wonder why, in Dimensions, I wrote the line "Ah, Mobius. I met the oracle when I was younger ..." spoken by Dumbledore in chapter 3. Well, this is the story of "how it happened when Albus Dumbledore met the Oracle of Delphius".  
  
Explanations by Chris Atola  
  
Prologue  
  
Albus Dumbledore had only just accepted the post of Headmaster for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and already he was enjoying it. He loved working with the children, watching their young minds absorb all that they were taught.  
  
He has just sat down at this desk, when his assistant, Janie Riverbank, entered carrying a rather large parcel wrapped in brown paper. "A package just arrived for you, Professor." She set the parcel down on the desk and left.  
  
Albus looked at the parcel in bewilderment. Who could have sent it? He hadn't ordered anything, and no-one he knew sent anything the Muggle way...  
  
Against all of his training, he was drawn to the parcel, and started unwrapping it. When the paper was gone, a oakwood box sat on the table. Ignoring the little voice inside his head, he opened the box. As the box opened, Albus felt a tugging sensation, and found himself being sucked into the box. Fawkes the phoenix took to the air and followed him into the box.  
  
Should I continue? Is it a good, bad or absolutely horrible start? Please REVIEW! 


	2. The Story

Author's note: Okay, small change of plans. This takes place just before Robotnik takes over Mobotropolis and Queen Aleena is forced to leave her kids. At this point, Albus is sixty or seventy years old.  
  
These # mean a written message  
  
I'm pretty sure someone's going to start complaining about how I went and used the "Pandora's Box" idea to start my fic, but... I didn't exactly claim to own the idea, did I?  
  
This is a kind of prequel to Something New. You might want to read that as well.  
  
Responses to reviewers:  
  
Mearas: Thanks for the review and the encouragement!  
  
Explanations by Chris Atola  
  
The Story  
  
Albus and Fawkes found themselves in a rather dark cave. Albus drew his wand and cast Lumos, which illuminated the part of the caves they were in.  
  
Seeing no-one, Albus and Fawkes started walking down the corridor they were in. After a moment, they entered a well-lit room, and came face- to-face with an anthropomorphic crocodile wearing a hooded robe. For some reason, Albus could have sworn he heard the tune to "Never Smile at a Crocodile*" playing in his head, which caused his blue eyes to twinkle merrily.  
  
Fawkes flew over to the crocodile, which reassured Albus that he was not a threat. "Hello, I don't suppose you could help me? My name is Albus Dumbledore, and I think I am slightly lost."  
  
"I am the Oracle of Delphius. How did you get here?"  
  
"I recieved a parcel which contained an oakwood box. I foolishly opened the box, and now Fawkes and I are here. I did not even think to find out who the box was from, although I suspect it may have been from a dark wizard."  
  
"Wizard?"  
  
"Yes, I am a wizard, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Wizards and witches are just as varied as normal people. There are good people who help each other, and evil people who wish to cause harm to others."  
  
The Oracle nodded in understanding, then invited Albus to sit down at the table. Fawkes was already perched on the back of a chair. "Can I offer you anything? Tea, perhaps?"  
  
"Tea would be fine, thank you."  
  
The Oracle put a kettle over the fire and then sat down across from Albus. "It seems you were brought here for a reason. Either, as you say, the box was from a dark wizard, or it was from someone who wants you to help someone here."  
  
"Help who?"  
  
"The Queen, for example. I feel she is putting her trust in the wrong person, but I cannot prove it." The Oracle looked as if he truly wished to prove his opinion.  
  
"Fawkes is a good judge of character. If we got the untrustworthy person in the same room with him for a while, we could be certain. How could I gain entrance to the queen's residence?"  
  
"Perhaps a note would be sufficient?" The Oracle searched around for a pen and paper, then started writing.  
  
# Your Majesty,  
  
This is Albus Dumbledore, a wizard from the planet Earth. He is here for an unknown reason, and hopes to discover it in Mobotropolis.  
  
I believe he is completely trustworthy, and I ask that you provide him with quarters, as he has no way of aquiring accommodations.  
  
The Oracle of Delphius #  
  
The Oracle led Albus and Fawkes out of the cave and outside. "Mobotropolis is a few kilometres that way." He pointed east. "When you get there, just show the note to the castle guards, they should let you in. Give the note to the Queen. She'll take it from there."  
  
Albus thanked the Oracle for his help, then started walking briskly, eastward. As he walked, we looked around him and marveled at how clean the area was. Absolutely no sign of pollution, and the sky was a great deal bluer** than on Earth.  
  
As Albus entered Mobotropolis, almost no-one gave him a second glance, except some who wondered why he was wearing robes. The castle guards let him through after he showed them the note, and he was led to the throne room.  
  
Albus handed the note to a courtier, who walked over to the queen and gave it to her. The queen was a purple-quilled hedgehog with a kind face. She read the note, then faced Albus.  
  
"You're from Earth? Welcome to Mobius. My name is Aleena. I think there is a free guestroom you can stay in. I hope you enjoy your stay, however long that may be..."  
  
"Thank you, your majesty." Albus bowed, and was surprised to see Fawkes, who, until then had been a quiet observer, imitate him, then land on his shoulder.  
  
Queen Aleena smiled, and Albus was escorted to a guestroom.  
  
A couple of hours later, Albus was sitting in one of the armchairs in his room, when he heard someone knocking on his door. He opened it, to see no-one. He heard a high-pitched giggle, and looked down to see a blue infant hedgehog sitting on the floor, looking up at him.  
  
"Hello, where did you come from?" he asked the child and picked him up. He stepped out of the room and into the corridor, closing the door behind him. "Let's get you back to your parents." He started walking down the corridor. Halfway to the staircase, he saw Queen Aleena hurrying toward him.  
  
"Wizard Dumbledore, have you seen my son? He's run off again!"  
  
"Oh, you mean this little one? He turned up at my door," he answered, handing the now-sleeping child to the queen. "And please, call me Albus."  
  
"Thank you for finding him. This isn't the first time he's run off..."  
  
"And probably not the last. I remember, my son was like that..." Without bidding, tears came to his eyes at the memory of the son he'd lost.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"My wife was killed by a dark wizard, and my son was kidnapped. He was never found, so I assume he is dead.***"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry." Trying to lighten the mood, Aleena suggested, "You know, I could use a bit of help keeping an eye on the children. Would you like to help me?"  
  
"I would be honoured."  
  
So, for quite a few days, Albus babysat the children when Aleena was busy with the affairs of the kingdom. He grew very fond of the children, and they eased the pain he still felt over losing his family.  
  
One evening, Aleena introduced Albus to Robotnik. Fawkes happened to be accompanying Albus then, and he insisted on keeping on the other side of the room from Robotnik. That, already, was enough reason for Albus to distrust him. Also, Robotnik refused the handshake Albus offered and avoided eye contact, which was another warning bell.  
  
Albus tried to convince Aleena of Robotnik's untrustworthiness, explaining how Fawkes avoiding him was a blatant warning, but to no avail. For some reason, Aleena refused to believe him.  
  
In the middle of the night one day, Albus woke from a most horrible nightmare. In the nightmare, he had been forced to watch as Sonic, Sonia and Manic died terrible deaths at the hands of Robotnik. Treating this dream as a vision, Albus placed the strongest protection spells possible on the children, even though he knew they would wear off over time.  
  
When only a week later, the Oracle made a prophecy involving Aleena and the children, Albus was unsurprised. Barely a day after the prophecy, Robotnik forced Aleena and the children into hiding. Aleena left he children on people's doorsteps, while Albus made sure no-one threatened Aleena.  
  
Finally, Albus ended up walking to the Oracle's cave to ask for a way home. Before he left, though, Albus wrote a letter to Aleena's children, which he left with the Oracle, asking him to give it to the children when they found each other again. He also asked him to send the children to Hogwarts when they were sixteen to have the protection spells recast.  
  
With a final look around, Albus returned to Hogwarts.  
  
*Sorry, couldn't resist! But who can tell me the words? I only know the first line and a bit of the second.  
  
**I don't know whether that's a real word, but you got the idea, right?  
  
***We don't know that much about Dumbledore's past, and, who knows, this could happen... Let's just assume that Albus's son would be twenty-or- so years old at the moment.  
  
By the way, I'm pretty much of the mind that the fics which place Albus as Harry's grandfather or great-grandfather are the best. I haven't seen very many stories like that. If you've written one of those, or know someone who has, could you please tell me the name of the story, so that I can read it? Thanks!  
  
Please REVIEW! 


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